The Attic (a name which commemorates our first physical location) is, first and foremost, a site for the research students of the School of Museum Studies at the University of Leicester: a virtual community which aims to include all students, be they campus-based and full-time, or distance-learning and overseas. But we welcome contributions from students of museum studies - and allied subject areas - from outside the School and from around the world. Here you will find a lot of serious stuff, like exhibition and research seminar reviews, conference alerts and calls for papers, but there's also some 'fluff'; the things that inspire, distract and keep us going. After all, while we may be dead serious academic types, we're human too.

Friday, November 30, 2007

A review of Dave Unwin's 'Brown Bag' research seminar, Wednesday 28 November 2007

As a child I loved science, obsessed with dinosaurs, planets and stars and the natural world. However something happened at secondary school and I gravitated towards the arts, although I spent a brief time working in a science centre. Thus the title of Dave Unwin’s research seminar on Wednesday 28 November 2007 was quite daunting at first, all those long, hard to pronounce words. However the seminar had been billed as requiring no ‘prior knowledge or technical expertise’ which was comforting, for since my flirtation with dinosaurs as a child the last time I had seriously thought about the subject was at a museum in New York over a year ago.

The seminar was an opportunity for Dave to introduce his research area to the rest of the department. Broadly speaking this is to reconstruct the history of life from millions of years ago to the present day and to find out why certain life-forms appear to dominate over others. For example why is it that we as humans are sitting in a lecture room discussing the development of life, as opposed to bacteria, dolphins or cockroaches? Immediately this impressed upon me that even though as researchers we look at completely unconnected areas in fact we are all trying to answer the same questions effectively – why is the world or phenomena under study like this and not something else? However as Dave pointed out, palaeonbiologists are perhaps even more ambitious in that they are trying to reconstruct events beginning over 3.5 million years ago! The mind boggles as to how this is possible but Dave’s talk was very good at introducing us to the basic methods which he uses, specifically in his study of pterosaurs, also known as pterodactyls, in other words flying dinosaurs.

Dave takes a holistic approach to the study of pterosaurs, seeing the organism as an integrated whole and looking broadly at the following themes:

Taxonomy (how many species there are)

Phylogeny (relationships between species)

Anatomy

Locomotion (flying and walking)

Physiology

Reproduction and growth

Evolutionary history

As he talked through each of these themes a wealth of detail was uncovered, some of which was quite surprising. Most of our knowledge about pterosaurs comes from the fossil record and the first pterosaur fossil was found as far back as the 1780s. However they are incredibly rare and, in Dave’s words, the entire number of pterosaur fossils in the world would fit in one corner of the lecture room. It seems to me to be like trying to recreate the entire of the Roman Empire using only a couple of pots! Pterosaurs also vary greatly in size and shape judging by the surviving fossils, with Dave bringing a real example of a fossilised pterosaur embryo to show us, amazing how it has survived being over a million years old. However he also described how pterosaurs with 10 foot wingspans would be possible; since pterosaurs came out of the egg with their wing membranes attached scientists have deduced that they could fly as soon as they were born, so unlike birds and bats there was potentially no limit to their growth. There is clearly more to these pterosaurs then the myths perpetuated by the toy dinosaur industry; I never could have thought that they would have been able to walk on their ‘arms’ and back legs in an fluid, rollicking gait had Dave not showed us the computer models. These in turn are based on the fossil record where tracks of pterosaurs walking have been found preserved, highlighting the amount of careful and patient work that must go into the smallest illustration.

Of recent political, possibly even ethical, interest are the amounts of fossils being turned up currently in China and former Soviet satellites; apparently Chinese farmers are digging up the landscape because they can make thousands selling the fossils to museums. One concern is that because in China entire eco-systems have been preserved, by happy accident frozen in time – rather like Pompeii in Italy – it is important to get in there and catalogue the findings before they are split up and sold. Dave is working on a research project with Chinese colleagues to investigate these fossilised eco-systems which will be able to tell us a lot more about life and how it interacted, which is not always possible from isolated fossils. As with all areas of human activity however it was interesting to find out that some fossils are ‘enhanced’ for cosmetic reasons before going on display in the museum – Dave showed us an example where a leg bone had been moved to make it more ‘attractive’!

This is only a very brief run through of Dave’s talk with only time to skirt over the issues very rapidly, however it reminds me that in creating a picture of our world, both now and in the past, we rely on the efforts of so many researchers and enthusiasts focusing on very specific and detailed areas and it is often inspiring to go outside your own specific area of interest and delve into another, albeit briefly.

The French Revolution and the subsequent Napoleonic Wars had a major impact on European museums. Between 1794 and 1813 enormous quantities of artworks, natural specimens, scientific objects, books and manuscripts from collections in the conquered areas in Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Austria and Spain were transported to Paris by the French armies. During a relatively short period of 15 years the general public had the opportunity to admire an overview of what, for the first time in history, might be labelled ‘European heritage’, exhibited in the Louvre and the Musée d’histoire naturelle. These outstanding French museums made a great impression on the visitors and (museum) officials from abroad but at the same time evoked criticism and strengthened the need for the countries which had been robbed of their artistic and scientific treasures to create their own national museums. In this atmosphere it was only logical that after Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo (1815) the Allied Powers reclaimed their artistic and scientific collections. When some of the confiscated objects returned to their places of origin, their arrival back home formed an extra stimulus for the (re)institution of public museums, in Berlin, Brussels, Madrid, Vienna, Rome, Milan and Parma, for example.

The conference Napoleon’s Legacy. The Development of National Museums in Europe, c. 1794-1830 focuses on this enormous shift in the European ‘museum landscape’. The central question is: how did various European countries in this period, stimulated by these confiscations and subsequent restitutions, design and disseminate the image of a ‘national culture’ through their museums. By employing an international comparative approach in studying this process it will be possible to examine national variations against the background of international patterns. This museological turning point will be addressed on three levels: the ‘looting’ process, the Paris museums, and restitution and after (see program below).

ROBERT SCHELLER (professor emeritus Universiteit van Amsterdam):Keynote lecture, title to be announced.

Introduction by Ellinoor Bergvelt, Debora Meijers and Lieske Tibbe

Welcome drinks.

Friday, 1 February (9.30-17.30)

1. The ‘Looting’ Process

a. Criteria for Selection

DANIELA GALLO (Université de Grenoble)The Musée Napoléon’s Galerie des antiques: a new proposal for the history of ancient sculpture?

MARIA DE LOS SANTOS GARCÍA FELGUERA (Universidad Complutense Madrid):The looting of Spanish art and the first ideas about the creation of a public museum in Madrid before the arrival of Napoleon’s army.

b. Protest or Acceptance?

FLORENCE PIETERS (Universiteit van Amsterdam)The looting of natural history collections in the Netherlands.

GIUSEPPE BERTINI (Università degli Studi di Parma)Works of art from Parma in Paris during Napoleon’s time and their restitution.

MONICA PRETI-HAMARD (Musée du Louvre, Paris)“La destruction du musée est devenue un monument historique [Destroying the museum has become a historic monument]”: The restitution of the works of art seen by the Louvre’s employees (1815-1816).

ANNIE JOURDAN (Universiteit van Amsterdam)A national tragedy in Restoration France: the return of the foreign works of art to their countries of origin.

The Museology Student Committee for Professional Development at the University of Washington is pleased to open the Call for Submissions for "Transforming Museums: Bridging Theory and Practice."

Transforming Museums: Bridging Theory and PracticeAn Interdisciplinary Academic Conference at the University of WashingtonMay 15-16, 2008

Call for Submissions!Museums are institutions steeped in tradition but surrounded by constant change. "Transforming Museums" seeks to find ways that professionals can meet these changes deliberately and thoughtfully instead of being swept along their currents. Building on the overwhelming success of last year's "Rethinking Museums" conference, we now turn to the task of "Transforming Museums." Come join us in the green and beautiful city of Seattle as we reach, share, and dreamstorm toward the future of these most beloved institutions. With its unique host of changing museums, both new and old, we can't think of a better place!

Transforming MuseumsWe invite museum professionals, students, and university faculty to submit paper abstracts or workshop proposals that explore these questions:

How do we transform museums?Who is leading these transformations?What recent and current work shares this aim?How do we define transformation?Why are these transformations taking place?Are there discernible patterns in this change?

Bridging Theory and PracticeThroughout the field, museums are transformed as professionals cross bridges between their institutions and education, technology, media, communities, academic disciplines--the possibilities are endless. What are the connections that inform your work and how will they shape the future of museums?

All submissions that invite us to think critically about the work of museums are welcome.

Guidelines:Submit a paper abstract or workshop proposal. Submissions deadline is January 4, 2008. Abstracts should be 150-250 words.

Because museology is inherently crossdisciplinary, research from related disciplines within the social sciences or humanities is welcome.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

In this seminar David Unwin will summarise his research goals, highlight some past achievements and outline some current and future projects. In addition to providing a brief overview of what we know about pterosaurs (pterodactyls) the seminar will also introduce the audience to the materials, techniques and methodologies of palaeobiology and the philosophical framework within which this discipline is set. No prior knowledge or technical expertise is needed.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Great news for everyone doing historical research. The Guardian/Observer archive (1821-1975) has gone online, and in November you can sign up for 24hrs access absolutely free! I've found some absolute gems this evening.

The Museum Design Study Day provides a privileged first-hand insight into some of the most exciting and innovative museum projects currently underway throughout the world. And the opportunity to discuss them in depth with their designers.

Numbers are limited to just 24. Join professionals from institutions like the National Gallery, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, National Museum Wales, MCC Museum, Dulwich Picture Gallery and Brighton's Royal Pavilion in an intensive and highly participative Study Day, led by the principals of three leading international design consultancies, who between them are currently working on some of the most exciting museum design projects in the world!

The three design studios who will be your hosts for the day are:

MetaphorLead exhibition designers for one of the world's biggest museum projects, the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Metaphor are designers and masterplanners for museum projects worldwide. They are currently creating 40 new gallery displays for Oxford's Ashmolean Museum, and have just completed the acclaimed First Emperor special exhibition at the British Museum. The session will be led by Metaphor's Design Director, Stephen Greenberg. http://www.metaphor.eu/

CassonMannDesigners of innovative galleries - from the British Galleries at the V&A, the new Time Galleries at the Royal Observatory, to New York's Museum of Sex - CassonMann also created the multi-award-winning Churchill Museum, packed with cutting-edge technology. Their recent special exhibition work includes Camouflage at the Imperial War Museum and Between Past and Future at the V&A. The session will be led by Dinah Casson. http://www.cassonmann.co.uk/

Event CommunicationsOne of the longest-established of the UK's design practices, Event have worked on over 120 major projects, throughout the world. Current work includes Glasgow's Museum of the River (with architect Zaha Hadid), following on from the successful completion of the New Century Project at Kelvingrove. The session will be led by co-founder and Research Director Cel Phelan. http://www.eventcomm.com/

The FormatEach session will last approx 2 hours and be informal in style, to maximise discussion and interaction. You'll hear in-depth about the work and the approach of each practice, discuss work-in-progress, view visuals of current and forthcoming projects, explore models of the latest projects, and meet and talk with a range of members of the design teams from each studio. With a maximum of 24 participants, you'll be able to pinpoint in advance any issues and topics you'd particularly like to have covered or discussed, so that the day's experience can be planned to meet your individual needs.

Who should attend? Professionals with any responsibility for the planning, mangement and implementation of exhibitions, interpretation and design; professionals involved in planning new or revised museums or galleries; professional designers and interpreters working within museums.

Rethinking Labour: Labour, Affect and Material CultureApril 19th and 20th, 2008Clinton Institute of American Studies, University College Dublin

Plenary speaker: Professor Andrew Ross, Chair, Department of Social and Cultural Analysis and Professor of American Studies, New York University*** (OTHER SPEAKERS TO BE ANNOUNCED) ***

What happens if affect and material culture become central constructs in thinking about labour and the workplace?

Recent studies have placed increased emphasis on the affective dimensions of labour. Social scientists, social theorists and historians have explored the ways in which affect shapes social relations, representation and identity in the labour process. At the same time material culture has received renewed attention as an important factor in shaping experience and behavior at work. The purpose of this conference is to explore the historical and contemporary implications of the labour/affect/material culture nexus and to generate discussion of what the “affective turn” holds for our understanding of labour. How are particular forms of affect produced and managed in the factory, the office and service work locations? How does material culture shape habits, dispositions and affective processes in the workplace? How does affect shape identity, performance and authority in particular kinds of work? And how might an analysis of the relationships between affect and material culture inform labour history, the sociology of work, literary studies, aesthetics, social theory, public history and other fields that examine labour?

We invite papers that address any aspect of the historical and contemporary relationship between labour, affect and material culture but especially welcome work that crosses disciplinary borders. Papers are invited on, but are certainly not limited to, the following subjects and areas:

ClassIdeologyStructures of feelingEmotions/feelingsAestheticsWorkplace communityEthics, conduct and performanceVisual culture and visualityAuthority and legitimacyRace and ethnicityGovernmentalityLiterature and literacyGender and SexualityRepresentationHistoriographyNation/alism & TransnationalismIdentity productionPolicy and economics

Please e-mail abstracts (200-300 words) for 20-minute papers to David.Gray@ucd.ie by January 31st. We also invite abstracts for panels of 3-4 presenters. Applicants will be notified by February 15th. In the e-mail, please include the following information:

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

The Cutty Sark Trust has warned that funding to restore the tea clipper after the catastrophic fire six months ago is quickly running out. After the initial blaze ('scuse the inappropriate pun!) of publicity, the plight of the Cutty Sark has slipped from the public consciousness. If that can happen to such an iconic national treasure, goodness only knows how less well known heritage and cultural organisations survive.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Yesterday I found myself in Melton Mowbray, on a mission to find the perfect pork pie (and this is where they can be had!). While there, I thought I should have a quick look at the town's museum. I was impressed; for a tiny local museum, just four (small) galleries and a shop and a reception desk, the displays were engaging and well-designed, employing various different techniques (interpretive, interactive and design) to reach diverse audiences.

The museum has clearly been redeveloped as a whole entity, which means that design and interpretive styles are consistent across all the galleries, in contrast with the rather piecemeal approach of many small, local authority museums.

The first gallery looks at the production of the town's most famous exports: pork pies and stilton cheese, as well as the saddlery industry. The displays take the form of shop and workshop reconstructions, but really benefit from an imaginative use of screen-printed hangings (featuring blown-up black and white archive photographs), which lend a sense of intimacy (as if one is peeking 'round the door), while maintaining accessibility. As well as, perhaps unintentionally, being reminiscent of that wobbly-screen device to denote 'going back in time' that's become such a television cliche. Sadly, the photograph doesn't do this feature justice.

The second gallery looks at the development of the town, from the earliest times to the present day. It's housed in a very small space, and so the narrative is necessarily brief, but it picks out the 'highlights' of Melton's history and cultural identity. One aspect which features particularly heavily (unsurprisingly with the knowledge that an interest group is one of the museum's key funding sources) throughout the museum, is the local hunt. That kind of thing isn't really my cup of tea, but it was interesting to note that the phrase 'paint the town red' originates in the town.

Also featured was, apparently, a long popular object in the museum's collection, which has, over the years, achieved some notoriety in the town, even being displayed in a peep show to raise money for the war effort: a stuffed two-headed calf, born in Melton at the turn of the last century. Poor thing.

A temporary display on the subject of the women's suffrage movement is currently on display. All very professionally done, but virtually entirely text-driven, which would tax even the most interested of visitors (and I'm including myself in that category!). Given that it was curated by the local records office, the reliance on the written word is hardly surprising.

The final gallery is devoted to the local hunt. As I've already hinted, I - personally - find the whole concept of fox hunting utterly repellent and, quite frankly, reprehensible (and before anyone accuses me of being a namby-pamby townie, I'd like to point out that I'm a country girl, if not born, most definitely bred!). I did, therefore, refuse to look around the display. But my visiting companion assures me that visitors were invited to leave comments about how they feel about hunting. What is then done with the comments, if anything, I'm not sure.

Overall, Melton Carnegie Museum is, in my opinion, well worth a visit. It's a very small museum, but the displays are very well done and exceed all expectations. The focus on hunting aside, I would give it four out of five stars, not least because it is a brilliant example of what a local museum can be, given a bit of time, money and imagination.

"Psychology and Aesthetics into the Future" International Association of Empirical Aesthetics20th Biannual Congress on Empirical AestheticsChicago, Illinois, USAAugust 19-22, 2008

The International Association of Empirical Aesthetics (IAEA) is an organization whose members investigate the underlying factors that contribute to an aesthetic experience, as well as aesthetic behaviors, using scientific methods. Currently we have members in 20 countries. Although the majority of members are psychologists, our membership includes sociologists, musicologists, philosophers, and researchers who specialize in the study of painting, sculpture, literature, film, museum visitor behavior, and so forth. For more information about the International Association of Empirical Aesthetics and the 20th Annual Congress visit our Web site at

The purpose of the Congress is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information relating to various topics involving empirical aesthetics. Congress topics may include:Aesthetic Appreciation, Aesthetic Experience, Visual Perception and Art, Auditory Perception and Art, Psychology of Music, Appreciation of Art, Music and Literature, Culture and Media, Cinema, Festivals, Museology, and Art Education. The official language of the Congress will be English. All written material (abstracts, posters, and contributions to the proceedings) and accompanying presentations must be in English.

SUBMISSION INFORMATIONSubmissions are invited for four types of events: 1) spoken papers, 2) posters, 3) symposia, and 4) an exhibition of art created by participants. There will be parallel scientific sessions for oral presentations held during each of the four days of the Congress. Invited addresses and symposia will be scheduled throughout the program. An art exhibition will be open for the duration of the Congress for all those registered. The purpose of the exhibition is to show the art works of participants and stimulate discussion about the works and the creative process. Spoken Papers. The time allotted for spoken papers will be 20 minutes; 15 minutes for presentation and 5 minutes for discussion. Each presentation will have a designated time-slot assigned to it.

PostersPosters will be organized in one or more poster sessions. Instructions concerning poster format and size will be provided along with acceptance notification. Since this is a new addition to the Congress, if not enough posters are submitted authors will be asked to do a spoken paper instead.

SymposiaSymposia will consist of a set of integrated spoken papers related to a theme. The maximum time allowed for symposia will be 3 hours (including a 20- min. coffee break). Symposia should consist of no more than five 25-min. papers followed by a 30-min. discussion period (variations of this format will be considered). Symposia conveners should collect together abstracts for each paper which must be in the required format described below. These should be submitted along with an abstract for the entire symposium, stating the rationale for the topic, the aims of the symposium, and the set of speakers proposed. A discussant may be included.

Art ExhibitionArt works will be limited to two-dimensional work with a maximum width of about 40 inches (100 cm) and small three-dimensional works (e.g., sculpture). Each participant can submit up to four pieces for consideration. You should plan to bring the works with you and hand-deliver them to the exhibition coordinator when you arrive. The works should be framed and ready to hang or display when you bring them. We have no facilities for receiving shipped work. In order to be considered, please submit a 500 word abstract in the same way that you would submit anabstract for a paper session (see instructions below). You might describe your methods, why you did the work and/or how the work might relate to psychological processes. In addition, on the same paper as the abstract, please list each work with the title, size (framed or displayed) and medium. Also include a print, slide, or electronic file (.jpg or .bmp) for each work.

Abstracts for all four types of events must be sent by December 31, 2007 via e-mail to:Kenneth S. Bordens, Program Moderator, iaea08@ipfw.edu

Electronic submissions must be in either .doc, .rtf. .wpd (Wordperfect) or .pdf format. Preferably, abstracts should be sent via email to: iaea08@ipfw.edu

Information concerning acceptance of a paper, symposium or art exhibit shall be provided in January 2008. Final manuscripts to be published in the Congress Proceedings will be due by April 30, 2008. Details on the requirements for the final manuscript shall be provided at the time of notification of acceptance.

CONGRESS VENUE AND FEESThe 20 Congress will be held at the th Carleton Hotel and Motor Inn in Oak Park, Illinois, USA:

Location, Location, Location:The Role of Lex Situs in Modern Claims for the Return of Cultural ObjectsLondon, 30th November 2007, 1.30-5.30pm

The world of art and antiquities continues to give rise to seminal legal decisions based on the private law of title. Despite the entry by many countries into international instruments governing claims for the return of cultural objects, claims continue to be brought and determined according to normal principles of private law applicable to commercial and cultural commodities alike. Such claims conform to a long tradition running in recent years from the Winkworth case in 1980 to two decisions involving the Islamic Republic of Iran earlier this year.

The aim of this conference is to examine the workings of the ordinary law of title in a cross-border setting and to ask whether private title claims are more effective than claims based on international treaties or other legal devices. Among the questions to be considered are the scope of the lex situs rule, its operation in twoparty and three-party cases, its relation to national ownership and confiscatory laws, the justiciability of such laws in common law courts, and the case for distinct common law rules governing cultural property independently from ordinary articles of commerce. The lex situs rule will be examined in detail, both as it applies in the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions. The interrelation between the lex situsrule and international conventions (UNESCO 1970, Unidroit and the European Directive and Regulation) will also be explored. The recurrent focus will be on tangible cultural objects and the special nature of such material in modern law and policy. The conference will end with an instructive case study based on modern authority and practice.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

I've just got (much coveted) tickets to see The First Emperor in January. I'm dead excited! Anyone already been? Is is any good? Would also be interested to hear from anyone who is going to see the Tutankhamun exhibition at the 02. Have seen lots of coverage of it on the news this week. Looks and sounds like a very 'commercial' type of display, but one which employs some of those techniques that I find really appealing, like atmospheric music in the gallery space. But, is it worth the money?

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Apologies for the late notice on this one...‘In Touch With Art - An International Conference on Art, Museums and Visual Impairment’By St Dunstan’s, V&A, and Goldsmiths, University of London

Wednesday 28th November and Thursday 29th November 2007, at the V&A, London, UK

In Touch With Art aims to empower arts organisations to engage creatively with visually impaired people through the visual arts.

Art can open up rich and rewarding new learning experiences for visually impaired people. We need to find ways to communicate this, and ensure our galleries and museums are welcoming and stimulating places for people who may not view themselves as visitors or participants.

Sighted and visually impaired people alike can benefit from the enhanced quality of life, and thinking and learning skills, that art can bring. Taking part in creative activities can improve sensory skills and self-confidence for everyone.

In Touch With Art is the first collaboration between St Dunstan’s, the V&A and Goldsmiths, and brings together an international line up of artists, academics and staff from museum and galleries who are leading the field in this area.

Through talks, touch tours and case studies, In Touch With Art will:

• examine models of best practice for the interpretation of visual arts for visually impaired audiences• investigate ways of teaching art to people with visual impairment• explore experiences of practising artists with visual impairment• identify how people with visual impairment can interact with art in gallery and museum environments• explore the personal, professional, physical and psychological experiences of artists, educators, and visitors with visual impairment

In Touch With Art aims to demystify what visual impairment means and motivate and inspire you to think about different learning styles and ways of seeing.

'Layers of Meaning'Fakes, Forgeries and the Authenticity of Art An international expert meeting organised by the Institute of Art and Law inassociation with DevonshiresLondon, 23rd November 2007, 10 am - 5 pm

A select committee of experts comprising lawyers, public officials, academics and art trade specialists will exchange views and information on legal and other concerns relating to issues of authenticity of antiquities and works of art. Subjects to be addressed include:

- English civil law and civil actions in respect of fakes and nonauthentic works- The criminal investigation and prosecution of those responsible for fakes and forged works- The liability of auction houses in the sale of fake or forged artworks (England and France) with detailed consideration of the case of Thomson v. Christie, Manson & Woods- The continued expansion of the criminal market for fakes and forgeries; Russian and Aboriginal cases, and examination of the causes and cures- What law applies in cases of an international nature?- Conditional Fee Arrangements and ATE Insurance in 'fake' claims

AbstractIn the post-war period, La Scala, the opera house in Milan, has been the site of significant political struggles that have led, under changing historical circumstances, to significant attempts to carry out institutional reforms. This pattern did not start in 1945, but dates back to the intellectual-moral reform of the theatre according to Jacobin ideals at the end of the eighteenth century, and the cultural reforms of the institution that were carried out by the city governments in 1898 and 1920. However, reforms since 1945 have been only partially successful, and political control at the institution has remained unstable and provisional. The objective of this paper is to examine the reasons for this historical pattern. By drawing on archival sources never utilised before, and by applying an original interpretation of Gramsci's writings in relation to the analysis of cultural policy and politics, the paper will examine key turning points in the relationship of the opera house with political dynamics. It will finally explore the possibility of applying the same methodology to a study of the Italian Museums of the Risorgimento, the nineteenth-century movement for national unification, in relation to questions of national identity and historical memory.

BiographyDr Paola Merli is Lecturer in Cultural Policy on the Arts Management degree in the School of Media and Cultural Production, Faculty of Humanities, De Montfort University, and was formerly a professional musician and cultural administrator. Her academic interests are in the areas of Cultural Policy Studies (the history and current developments of cultural policy, politics and institutions; the analysis of the role of intellectuals and cultural organisers in cultural policy and politics) and Cultural Studies (cultural theory, with a particular focus on the work of Antonio Gramsci, and representations of cultural institutions and artists in documentaries, film and other media). Her PhD thesis was on 'The opera house and cultural policy: the post-war politics of La Scala, Milan'. She has published in the International Journal of Cultural Policy, the International Journal of the Humanities, and the International Journal of the Arts in Society. She has also provided a commissioned scholarly introduction to a book by Senator Carlo Fontana on his experience as general manager of La Scala, from the leading Italian publisher Mondadori Electa. This is the first reconstruction of the life of the famed cultural institution in the period from 1990 to 2005. She has recently been appointed reviews editor for the journal Cultural Trends.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

The Design Research Group are organising a one day conference on the relationships between people and their objects, to be hosted by the Faculty of Visual Culture, National College of Art and Design, Dublin on 14th February 2008.

The relationship between people and their objects is a complex and multifaceted one, which is continually negotiated between the material and the immaterial. Objects are used as tokens of affection, symbolic gestures and statements of devotion and can be represented, employed andappropriated in a multitude of ways. They carry out important roles in our relationships with each other, either as bearers of significance, or through embodiment, engagement or control. The seductive quality of objects can also mediate our relationships with them, as they engage our emotions in both subliminal and visceral ways. In doing so they facilitate the projection and subversion of identities, and the creation of the contexts in which they operate.

It is expected that selected papers will be collected in an edited anthology. Papers are invited to contribute towards thematic areas, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Mind – memory, nostalgia and symbolic value; collecting, hoarding and losing objects; objects and rites of passage; the representation of love of / in objects; objects and devotion

Saturday, November 03, 2007

From H-Museum:CULTURAL HERITAGE, MUSEUM ETHICS AND THE LAW : Philadelphia Reflects the Global DebateThursday December 13, 2007, 9:00 am

Program presented by the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts in collaboration withthe Penn Cultural Heritage Center and Penn Museum at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology

Cultural heritage law is a legal specialty growing at an explosive rate, with unique ethical issues. Find out why and how it relates to Philadelphia's debate over its cultural treasures.

9:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., lunch included

The program:

* reviews the international and national legal framework of cultural heritage law;

* explores conflicting views of the policies that shape preservation of the past;

* highlights current controversies in cultural heritage law; and

* analyzes the legal and ethical issues for professionals practicing in the field.

Over lunch, faculty and participants will consider how the international debate over cultural heritage is reflected in Philadelphia's efforts to preserve its City treasures.

Distinguished presenters include:

Patty Gerstenblith, Professor of Law, DePaul University College of Law, Director of DePaul's program in art and cultural heritage law, Co-Chair of the ABA's International Cultural Property Committee and author of Cultural Heritage, Art and the Law;

Richard Leventhal, Ph.D, internationally recognized scholar in Mesoamerican studies, faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania, curator at the Museum and responsible for the Museum's recently launched Center for Cultural Heritage;

Ildiko P. DeAngelis, Director of the graduate program in Museum Studies at George Washington University, and former assistant general counsel at the Smithsonian Institute.

Course Planner, Sharon M. Erwin, Esquire

Interactive format, 3 substantive credits and 1 ethics credit for attorneys.Enrollment is open to both attorneys and arts and culture professionals.Registration fee: $189.00 for attorneys; $125 for arts and culture professionals and interested others.Register by telephone, (215)545-3385.

***STOP PRESS***

PhD Conferences

We have a new PhD conference upcoming this year November 5-6th 2013. It is called Museum Metamorphosis and is all about the adaptable and changing museums of today. We are sponsored by AHRC and in partnership with Leicester Museums. The official website and details can be found here.

Last year's PhD student conference was held March 27-28 2012, and was titled Museum Utopias; it was supported by the University of Leicester and Hanwell. It was an intreguing two days of utopic ideals and realities in museums today. Details are available on the official website. Read the blog for a session-by-session review of the conference.

The 2011 conference was held in Leicester March 28-30, and was called Curiouser & Curiouser; supported financially by the University of Leicester, it was an exciting three days of the weird and wonderful in heritage studies. Read the blog to find out more. We also held a highly successful PhD student symposium in December 2009. Read the blog.